A Prayer Invitation

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Something significant happened in our lives over the last week. The Lord made it exceedingly clear that he was asking us to substantially increase our prayer network and mobilize more intercessors! The stakes are getting higher. And the enemy attacks are not getting any lighter. God spoke to us and said: rally the troops or you won't win the battle!  So, we are responding.

We are placing this public invitation out for people to join us in a new prayer network and campaign that we are launching in the next week. To be very clear, here is what we are looking for by way of expectations:

1. Be on our prayer email list and receive prayer emails from us regularly (those with no email get a call from someone else we determine).

2. Pray passionately, intentionally and specifically for us, our family and our ministry at least 5 days a week OR commit to pray extensively for us 1 day per month (one or the other-- you tell us. If it is one day per month, we would like you to tell us which day). Sometimes we may need warfare prayer, fasting or other intense intercession. We are looking for people to stand with us at that level when we contact you.

3. Two way communication. Communicate back with us any verses, words from the Lord, visions or pictures from the Lord, warnings or encouragements. We also would love to hear prayer needs you have so we can remember you before the Lord as well.

Here is a video I filmed today telling you more of our heart:

If you would like to join with us in this way, simply contact me indicating so. Comment, email, FB, SMS...whatever you got.

In about one week, we will launch a new prayer list and prayer campaign. We are excited to see who the Lord will ask to join in with us. We are asking God for 100 serious people as a step one. Eventually, we know that we will need 10,000!

IntoAfrica; Glimpses of Heaven

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All Nations has a team of wild, anointed explorers that are known as IntoAfrica. Late last year they took a three month voyage into Africa (hence the name) and explored many villages and tribes in search of where the gospel is not yet. They did this by land. Driving. From Cape Town. Craziness. These guys are inspiring. When you have a half hour, you want to watch this! These are our friends! We are so excited about what the Lord is doing through them. Let me know if you want to move here and do this and I can link you up with them. They have more of this on the books.

Glimpses of Heaven: Through East Africa from Bowen Parrish on Vimeo.

Our Week...Filming

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This is a pretty cool week.  We have guests visiting us from America.  Their names are Nathaniel and Aletheia Elliott. The crazy thing is that we actually never met this couple until they landed here Friday night. We have skyped and emailed in preparation for this trip, but never me tin person. Aletheia has a heart for justice, Nathaniel has major gifts and a degree in film making and they are both in love with Jesus and Africa. The Lord put a desire in their hearts to come here to South Africa to film our story and the stoires of others here in Masi. This is such a special gift to us. This morning we filmed five hours of footage in Masi. Soon, we will be releasing some videos and photos (pic above is from today). We are thanking God for this chance to share what the Lord is up to.

(Video below was their promo video for this trip.)

Really, Mr. Winans?

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Whitney Houston died. I pray God's peace be with her family. Seems that most of the rest of the world jsut needed something to talk about. No prob. That's cool.  Her funeral was yesterday. I did not watch it.  Could not really get it here.  Not televised and slow internet. 

 

Today, I saw this clip of Rev. Marvin Winans speaking at the funeral.  He called it preaching.  I call it heartbreaking. A few quotes with some short commentary:

  • "I don't want anybody leaving here thinking God wants anyone here broke!" // Really, Mr. Winans? You were preaching to millions of people. Many were broke.  Flat broke.  What should they do with the fact that you have now told them that God isn't ok with their brokeness? And why are there 300+ mentions of God's love and care for the poor in the Bible you were holding while you preached?
  • Mockingly, he states that folk say "I don't believe in this proserity gospel." To which Mr. Winans responds: "I don't know what other gospel there is!" // Really? I do. It is called the gospel of sacrifice and suffering.  The one that our Lord Jesus Christ modeled so perfectly by pouring himself out and humbling himself even to death. (Phil 2)
  • "If God wants somebody broke, would you tell me who that is? Who's volunteering?" // To answer your question, I guess God wants more than 80% of the world to be poor, since they ARE. I assume most of Africa must have volunteered?!  Seems as though your church isn't volunteering, though.  No one raised their hands.  They just laughed. 
  • "When God brough Israel out of Egypt, everybody came out with something." // Really, Mr. Winans? Where is that in the Bible? And what is this supposed to mean, anyway?  Because I want to tell some of my friends here in Africa who have nothing "in their hands" today how this can help them. 
  • "For you to believe that somebody needs to be broke is to say that God does not have enough sufficiency to supply for everybody." // Really, Mr. Winans? Seriously? I am afraid you are deeply missing some vital principles about who God is and what He is up to. And now millions of other people can be as confused as you are.  
  • "I want you to understand that what God desires for everyone, is for everyone to be healthy and prosperous." // Really? I am sure that this is in the Bible somewhere, but can you remind me of where? And then can you help me administer that reaity to the millions of people on the earth today that are neither healthy or prosperous? 

 

The prosperity gospel runs rampant in Ameirca and in Africa. It is a false gospel.  It is damaging and painful to our world. The guys propegating it seem must have AWESOME salaries, live in rich areas and must have rarely, if ever, traveled throughout the world.  My heart aches for them, with them and for the many impacted by the pain that their teaching causes. 

 

And sometimes, I just have to speak up. And so I have.  I wish I knew Marvin personally and could sit with him and challenge him and hear more from his heart. 

A year ago tonight...

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It is hard to believe it, but we posted this video on YouTube one year ago tonight! One year ago tonight we were packing our final bags and preparing to depart for South Africa.  (Still thankful for my Sister, Joeley and Brother in Law, Eamon for letting us launch from their pad!)

 

Within this year, Jesus has opened our eyes, enlarged our hearts, changed our minds, grown our family and set new visions and dreams in our hearts for the future. There really are not words to say how thankful we are to be in the will of God serving here in South Africa. It has been a year where God has kept His promises and fulfilled his prophecies in our lives.

 

You can see the pain of sacrifice in our eyes in this video. It is not easy to follow Jesus when it hurts--when it means leaving people you love. But I am here to speak up as a testimony that the reward is far greater than the sacrifice.

 

And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29 // We have found this to be true in more ways than we would have thought.

My Favorite YouTube Videos & A Porn Warning

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Yesterday we had a little party with friends where we all shared our favorite YouTube videos as we watched together and laughed.  Laughter is great!  There should be loads more fun happening in Christian community than there currently is! When is the last time you just had an evening of laugher with fellow Jesus followers? It's good stuff. 

 

Anyway, last night I tweeted that I would share my faves with you on the blog.  Here goes.  After spending lots of time previewing lots of good YouTube videos, these are my list toppers in no particular order.  MOST of them are very clean.  A few could offend the easily offended.  I have chosen to share them anyway.  If you are easily offended, simply do not risk it.  Don't watch any. 

  • David after Dentist   
  • Montgomery Flea Market 
  • Ignatius the Youth Pastor 
  • Hide your kids, hide your wife  
  • Bed Intruder Song 
  • World's tallest man meets worlds smallest man  
  • I'm gonna kick his ask  
  • Kittens. Inspired by kittens    
  • I told my kids I ate their halloween candy 
  • Miss teen south carolina 
  • Funny Video Shower Prank 
  • Weather Graphics 
  • Preacher Beeper  
  • Unicorn After wisdom teeth 
  • Baby Bopping to Single Ladies  
  • Forgot the Blueberries  
  • Sophie Can Walk  (Language warning, but super funny.) 
  • Bizkit the sleep walking dog  
  • Demitri Martin Flip Chart  
  • Boom goes the dynamite    

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And now for the part of the title that caught some of your attention...a PORN WARNING...

Yesterday, while I was spending intentional time searching out the best of the best YouTube videos, I noticed something....

YouTube can be a slippery slope into pornography.  The way it is designed seems to vacuum people into garbage.  You can type "Jesus love you" into the search box and get women half dressed and titles advertising body parts.  It's sad, really.  And as I noticed this (and successfully fought the temptation to click on these enticing titles), I really felt the desire to warn people. Be careful.  You can tell yourself "it's just YouTube" and end up several hours later in a place you do not need to be.  And weeks later, months later, years later in a LIFESTYLE you do not want to be living.

Most of you either look at Porn already or it impacts your life in some other rather direct way.  That can change.  There is help.  Take step 1....stop hiding. Yes, I think that is step 1.  Admit it.